Like any industry, there are good agents and there are the not so good agents. The obvious aside: licensed, access to industry information… Primarily, make sure your agent works full-time in the area you want to live. Ask them about their experience, past clients, look for an agent with a Real Estate Blog and read it. Their personality will come through. If an agent is serious about serving his/her clients, they will do more than just show them one property after another. It is the agent’s responsibility to help the buy/seller understand the market and negotiate the best possible terms possible. Every real estate transaction is different, so ask the agent for his/her opinion. If their answers are shaky… well you decide. But, in the end, you need an advocate in a real estate transaction, not a chauffer. Good agents listen and care about their clients best interests. After all, this is a business built on referrals and a stellar reputation is imperative.